Shoe-shank-forming tool



C. R. TOWLE.

SHOE SHANK FORMING TOOL. APPucmon msn man1. 1921.

1,408,913- Patented-Mar. 7, 1922,:l

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UNTED STATE;

CHARLES E Townn, or HAVERHILL, MessncirosnrrsJ Assistme! or one-nerr To HERMAN E. LEWIS, 0F EVERHILL,

MASSACHSETTS.

SHOEjSHANIFORll/IING TOOL.

Moenia Specification of Letters Patent.

lhitcntcd Mar. l', 1922.

Application led August 17', 192].. Serial No. 492,934.

To all whom 2f may 0071067771:

Be it known that l, CHARLES R. TowLn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe-Shank-Forming Tools, of which the followingv is a specification( ln the manufacture of turned shoes it is frequently desired to shape the shank p ortion of the sole so that each side `portion will slope somewhat sharply from `the middle longitudinal line of the shank portion, for the purpose of still'ening this portion, after the manner that sheet metal is stif- :tened by corrugation. ln the trade, shoes thus formed are said to have a, cottage shank. Y

The operation of thus shaping the shank is performed as a Apart of the beating out operation. which. 'with turned shoes is usually a hammering operation, and, in attempting to form a cottage shank with a hammer, considerable di'fliculty has heen encountered, due to the fact that, when the operator hammers on oneside of the shank, near the edge, or presses thereon with a rub stick, the opposite portion will spring up from the last, so that an effective formation thereof is not secured.

rlhe object of my invention is to provide a form of hand implement with which the operation of shapingthe shank of the sole. of a turned shoe may he rapidly, effectively and satisfactorily performed.

l accomplish this object by providing a forni of iinplcn'ient which preferably cork sists of a block of wood formed to provide a face at one end, which is adapted to loe struck with a hammer; and a pair of divergently extending faces at the opposite end, adapted to hestride the shank and having convexly curved faces arranged for simultaneous engagement with opposite shankedgeportions, so that the sole may be bent' sharply overa longitudinally extending rib on the middle of the shank stili'ener and the shank-edgeporticn may he permanently stretched or lengthened, so as to conform closely with the shank portion of the last.

l? or a' more complete disclosure of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing` in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a tool embodying my invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are central longitudinal sectional views, at lines spectively, of Fig.

Fig. elis plan view end of the tool.

Figs. 5 and G are sectional views of the shank portion of a shoe' on a last, with the tool in operative position.

Fig. is a sectional view, at line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

shown in the drawing,r l provide a rounded block c, of hard. wood, of a size adapting' it to he readily held in the hand and` of a length enabling` one end to he `set against the work, and, while thus held. to he struck on the other end with a hammer. The end which is to he struck with a hammer is preferably provided with a heavy7 sole leather face l), and the opposite end of the block has a V-shaped notch formed therein, the bottom c or medial line of which extends midwayv of the block in a convex curve, as shown in Fig'. 3. A pair of oppositely disposed faces Z are thus formed, which extend divergently from the middle line, or their line of intersection at c. The angular relation between said faces, at certain points, is made to correspond to the desired slope of the opposite portions of the shoe shank. the surfaces forming,` said faces being con-l` vexlv curved, or rounded in all directions.` that is they are convexly curved in direc`I tions hoth transversely of the medial line c and parallel thereto, y y

The middle portions of the surfaces, or the portions adjacent the middle portion of the surface line which is perpendicular to the middle linee, at the middle thereof, is the only portion which` in practice, is usually the work engaging engaged withthe work and, when forced' against the edge portion ofthe sole, at the shank, will cause a correspondingly shaped depression therein, as indicated in Figf 7, so that if a portion-of the sole-edge is st 1ucl: a. series of blows, the effect will he, the sole being in temper at the time, to lengthen out the vportion engaged. The relative disposi tion of the faces d is such that they may he simultaneously engaged with opposite edge portions of the sole, in the shank portion, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, without engaging the middle portion. As the shank portion usually increases in width, as it extends from the heel, it will he apparent that, if the tool is held in a middle position transversely of the shank, as indicated, the portion of the longitudinally over the apex of faces Whiclrwill engage the sole Will he at varying distances from the middle ofthe `notch corresponding to the `Width of the sole portion engaged.

To enahle the ri-formation in the shank of the sole to he sharply defined and accurately placed, a stiffening rih or strip E, which is Vshaped incross section, is attached to the side of the shanlrstiifener y next the sole in such a' position that the apex of the l! extends approximately in the longitudinal middle line thereof, as indicated in I? ig. 5, so that the sole may he leent the rib, `as indicated in Fig. 6.

ln using the tool, therefore, the operator sets it in position, astride the shank portion of the shoe, so that opposite shankedgeportions are simultaneously engaged, as shown in Fig, 5, and then he strikes the leather faced end one orinore sharp blows with a hammer, so that hoth side portions ofthe sole will be forced against the last bottom, as shown in Fig. 6, bending the sole over the rib Q, and, at the sametime, lengthening the sole edge-portion, by forcing the rounded faces Z into the sole, as indicated in Fig. To. This operation is repeated at closely adjacent points throughoutthe length of the sha-nh, so that the entire shank edge portion will he sulliciently lengthened to cause it to stay in positionin close engagement with the last bottom.

The sole shank portion is thus shaped so that the side portions slope sharplyv from thevmiddle longitudinal line of the shank and will retain this shape indefinitely, but an important factor in thus shaping of the shank portion, so that it will retain its shape, is the simultaneous action of the convex faces of the tool on the opposite sole edge portions of the shank, at a'succession of points throughout the length thereof, as previously described. As thus shaped, the stiffness of the sole is greatly increased in i the shank..

Asthe driving action Willktendqto split theWood of which the tool is constructed,

rivets e and;F are preferably extended there.

through,.. as indicated.

messie While hard Wood is preferable as 'a niaterial of which to vconstruct the tool, as it is light to handle, the same results may he secured if it is `made of metal;

l. claim: v

l. tahoe shank former having a notch therein providing a pair of oppositely disposed and diyergently emenfding faces, the surfaces thereof being conyeXly curved in directions parallel tothe meeting line of said faces, and adapted for .simultaneous engagement with the opposite edge portions of the shank portion of a shoe sole, throughout a relatively small portion of the length thereof. v,

2. Ashoe shank former having-a V-shaped notch therein to provide a pair of divergently and oppositely disposed engaging faces, said facesheing oonifezrly curved in all. directions and arranged for simultaneous engagement `with oppositeedge portions of the shank; portion of a shoe, throughout a minor portion only of the length thereof.

A shoeshanlr former having a face at one endadapted to he engaged hy a hainnier, and a if-shaped notch in the opposite end, the sides of said notch providing` faces arranged for engagement with `minor portions only of the length of the opposite edgc-portions'of the shoe shank and said faces heing conyexly curved in directions parallel to, and transversely of the middle Y nne of the notch.

h A shoe shanlr former having a `pair of intersecting, sole-edge-engaging faces aruangcd to entend divergently from their line ofV intersectionl` and said faces being con- *vexly curved in directions parallel to said line and having corresponding portions thereof arranged for simultaneous engagement With minor sections of the length of the oppositeV edge-portions of the shank portion of the sole, Without engagement of the intermediate portions thereof, to increase the length of said edge portions and simultaneously force the same into Vintimate relation with the bottoni of the last.

In testimony whereof, l have signed'my name to this specification.

CHARLES R. TOWLE. 

